So is THIS the dreaded corrosion?

[Sly Fox]

I took my first ever loop apart after my D5 started leaking and I've found that my blocks appear to be corroded. The MCW-30 much worse than the Apogee GT. But both have a black coloration on them which after three 15 minute coats of ketchup followed by a toothbrush scrubbing and distilled water rinsing is still prevalent. Although on the MCW-30 it does seem to be fading, but maybe that's just wishful thinking.

MCW30:
http://img502.imageshack.us/img502/3499/img0172fc0.jpg
http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/1236/img0171bj7.jpg

Apogee GT:
http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/8083/img0173pk3.jpg
http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/5903/img0174ve1.jpg

I'm sorry about the bad quality of the pics, but the iPhone is only so good.

In any case, am I going to need a new chipset waterblock?

And regarding the Apogee GT, will the fairly minimal amount of darkness you can see impact performance or negatively impact my rebuild in any way?


As for how this happened? I suspect it was my slightly liberal use of PT_Nuke. I used 4 drops when I suspect I should have used 1 maybe 2 tops.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

[hotdun]

So...that definitely doesn't look like corrosion at all...maybe a bit of slight oxidation. There's no way this will effect your performance. PT_NUKE will not cause corrosion of any sort.

[Sparky]

Do you have any aluminum in your loop?

If no, then it isn't corrosion. Maybe some oxidation but that won't impact anything. Shoot, you should see my MCW60, looks like it has been through a war zone inside

[Sly Fox]

No aluminum, all sweet beautiful copper.

I had thought that perhaps it was just oxidization, but when I heard people saying using too much PT_Nuke can corrode stuff I got worried.

Probably just jumped the gun, you guys just made my blood pressure drop a great deal though!

[hotdun]

Here's some corrosion:

[Linux_Box]

Agreed on the oxidation not corrosion.

Dang Hotdun!!! That's some nasty stuff. Mixed metals??

[Sly Fox]

Yea... If my blocks looked like that I think I'd just order a TRUE right now and give up.

Now it's time to just breath... And remember that my blocks are fine.

[hotdun]

Got those from the old Apogee GTX aluminum top thread....

[Sparky]

Got those from the old Apogee GTX aluminum top thread....

fixed

GT never had aluminum.

[hotdun]

fixed

GT never had aluminum.

gracias...

[Conumdrum]

Not corrosion, just a bit of oxidation. Comes right off with a 20 min soak in kechup and a gentle toothbrush scrub. No worries.

Curious.. How long did you have the loop up before you tore it down?

[Sly Fox]

Not corrosion, just a bit of oxidation. Comes right off with a 20 min soak in kechup and a gentle toothbrush scrub. No worries.

Curious.. How long did you have the loop up before you tore it down?

I'd say about 6 months. It was just a bit before the Fuzion V2 came out I believe.

[T_Flight]

Have you tried TarnX? Sometimes Copper Discoloration can be very hard to get off if it's been there awhile and has built up. It will turn that nice shiny Cu color dark brown to black just like Cu pipes ina house do...might even get some greenish stuff on them sometimes.

[Humminn55]

I don't even know what the hell's going on with those pics,

andyc

Amen. Looks like every other used block I've seen....and there is no corrosion going on anywhere...

[PrometheusCon]

Yeah the ketchup suggestion works. A bit o' acidity will remove that oxidation and leave you with shiny copper.

[veedubfreak]

The question then becomes, does it really matter if it has a little bit of oxidation. Its not like you will ever see the inside of the block once its up and running

[nikhsub1]

I don't even know what the hell's going on with those pics,

andyc

[Linux_Box]

The mods ought to put those pictures in one of the stickies as an example of corrosion. If those pics don't convince you to be very careful, nothing will.


"I don't even know what the hell's going on with those pics,

andyc "

LOL... it's actually pretty sick looking. Like a leper or something!!

[Waterlogged]

Sly, those first 2 pics, are they of the Loch Ness monster?

[Locke]

Isn't oxidation and corrosion the same thing? or is there a semantic difference on these forums?

[Linux_Box]

Oxidation is more of a discoloration without significant damage to the metal. Corrosion is actually eating away the metal which results in significant damage... that's my definition anyway. (Oxidation can be 'repaired' usually with something while corrosion can't be 'repaired' as the metal is actually gone).

[Locke]

Oxidation is more of a discoloration without significant damage to the metal. Corrosion is actually eating away the metal which results in significant damage... that's my definition anyway. (Oxidation can be 'repaired' usually with something while corrosion can't be 'repaired' as the metal is actually gone).

lol ok, i guess I understand. But really its the same thing. Its just that corrosion happens from oxidation.

[Linux_Box]

lol ok, i guess I understand. But really its the same thing. Its just that corrosion happens from oxidation.

Yeah, it's almost as if they are different degrees of the same thing.

[combatus]

Oxidation is the term given to the reaction of a substance with Oxygen. A fine layer that often just discolours the surface as Linux_Box mentioned appears and can be removed with mild acid or metal polish etc. Small or negligable effect on thermal transfer I would imagine.

Galvanic corrosion on the other hand is what we're mainly concerned with in water-cooling which happens when you get metals of differing electric potential (ie Copper and Aluminium) in the same loop (brass is ok though ;-). The metal with a higher electric potential (eg alu) will corrode hence the corroded looking Alu tops, but the Copper will eventually get pretty messed up too from all the deposits hence this. Oxidation will cease happening when no more of the surface of the object is in contact with Oxygen, but Galvanic corrosion will continue until the Alu is completely corroded away.